The mental health toll of wildfires can last longer than people realize, experts say. Here's why.
CBSN
The California wildfires have left many immediately shaken, but experts say the toll on mental health can last longer than people realize.
Symptoms of trauma may emerge within days of the event, weeks or even months, Dr. Sue Varma, psychiatrist and author of "Practical Optimism," said recently on "CBS Mornings Plus."
It's not just the immediate news of the wildfire outbreak that caused shock and fear, the unknowns looming over many residents on whether their homes would be impacted also amplified anxiety. Those facing devastation are overwhelmed with uncertainties of the future and feelings of loss, grieving their homes, memories, businesses and loved ones. And many who fared better are dealing with competing emotions like gratitude of survivor's guilt along with grief.
American adults are looking for love — and many are reporting they found someone. For the first time in almost two decades, the share of unpartnered adults — who are neither married nor living with an unmarried partner — in the United States has declined, according to a Pew Research Center analysis of Census Bureau data released on Wednesday. This decline coincided with a slight rise in couples who reported being married, from 50% to 51%, Pew found, signaling a possible change in America's relationships.